der/die/das

Relative Pronoun

Level 3

German relative pronouns (der, die, das) function like 'who', 'which', or 'that'. They introduce a subordinate clause where the verb moves to the end.

How It Works

Relative clauses are essential for building complex sentences in German. Unlike English, where you can often omit the pronoun (e.g., 'The book I read'), in German, the relative pronoun is obligatory.

1. Form and Declension:
Most relative pronouns look exactly like definite articles, but there are key exceptions:

  • Genitive: dessen (masc./neut.), deren (fem./plural). Important: The noun following a genitive relative pronoun never takes an article (e.g., 'dessen Auto', not 'dessen das Auto').
  • Dative Plural: denen (instead of 'den').

2. Prepositions:
If the relative clause requires a preposition, it must be placed immediately before the relative pronoun (e.g., 'die Frau, mit der...'). German does not allow 'preposition stranding' at the end of the clause.

3. The Two-Step Rule:
To pick the right pronoun, follow these two steps:

  • Gender & Number: Look at the noun in the main clause. If it's 'der Mann', the pronoun must be masculine singular.
  • Case: Look at the function of the pronoun within the relative clause. Is it the subject (Nominative)? The direct object (Accusative)? Or following a specific preposition?

4. Word Order:
A relative clause is a subordinate clause. This means the conjugated verb must move to the very end of the clause. Additionally, a relative clause is always separated from the main clause by a comma.

Examples (5)

  1. Der Mann, der dort steht, ist mein Lehrer.

    The man who is standing there is my teacher.

    Word by Word: The man, who there stands, is my teacher.

    Here, 'der' is masculine singular (from 'Mann') and Nominative because it is the subject of the relative clause.

  2. Das Buch, das ich lese, ist sehr spannend.

    The book that I am reading is very exciting.

    Word by Word: The book, that I read, is very exciting.

    The pronoun 'das' is neuter (from 'Buch') and Accusative because it is the direct object of the verb 'lese'.

  3. Die Kinder, denen ich helfe, sind froh.

    The children whom I am helping are happy.

    Word by Word: The children, to-whom I help, are happy.

    The pronoun 'denen' is plural (from 'Kinder') and Dative because the verb 'helfen' requires the dative case.

  4. Ich kenne die Frau, deren Auto kaputt ist.

    I know the woman whose car is broken.

    Word by Word: I know the woman, whose car broken is.

    This uses the genitive relative pronoun 'deren' to show possession. Note that the noun 'Auto' follows immediately without an article.

  5. Das ist der Freund, mit dem ich reise.

    That is the friend with whom I am traveling.

    Word by Word: That is the friend, with whom I travel.

    When a preposition is used, it must be placed immediately before the relative pronoun. You cannot place it at the end of the sentence.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'den' instead of 'denen' in the dative plural.

    Die Leute, den ich danke, sind nett.
    Die Leute, denen ich danke, sind nett.

    While the definite article is 'den' in dative plural, the relative pronoun must be 'denen'.

  • Incorrect word order (verb not at the end).

    Das ist der Film, der ist sehr gut.
    Das ist der Film, der sehr gut ist.

    In a relative clause, the conjugated verb must always move to the very end.

  • Confusing 'das' (relative pronoun) with 'dass' (conjunction).

    Ich mag das Buch, dass du mir gegeben hast.
    Ich mag das Buch, das du mir gegeben hast.

    Use 'das' (one 's') when referring back to a neuter noun. Use 'dass' (two 's') only to introduce a fact or thought clause.

How It Connects

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der/die/dasLevel 3Relative Pronoun

Learn This First

To learn relative pronouns, you must first understand how German nouns are categorized by gender and how the case system changes article forms. Additionally, since relative clauses are subordinate clauses, you need to be comfortable with the 'verb-final' word order rule.

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